I could try to explain how Colorado improved, how the Buffaloes seemed energized, driven and supremely motivated by the change to Mike MacIntyre, formerly of San Jose State, but there's a simpler way to address the program's step forward since the end of a miserable 2012 season.

Let's give this a shot: In the team's first season under MacIntyre and his staff, CU improved in 29 statistical categories. Twenty-nine, as in one fewer than 30; that's everything and the kitchen sink, pretty much, even if the Buffaloes could only move in one direction – up, that is.

In comparison, the Buffaloes made enormous strides in passing offense, scoring offense, pass efficiency defense, third-down offense and total three-and-out possessions on defense, improvements that underline MacIntyre's blueprint for returning this program to its place among the nation's upper crust.

But improvement is relative, of course. Colorado improved, yes, but let's remember where MacIntyre started. Let's also remember where CU plans to go, not to mention how many more next-step strides must be taken before CU contends in the Pac-12 South Division.

This was just the start: MacIntyre has inched the needle past zero and into the positive, though the Buffaloes remain very much on the non-Oregon end of the Pac-12 spectrum – a spot ahead of California, perhaps, but behind the rest of the pack in the nation's deepest conference.

LAST YEAR'S PREDICTION:

I'm not even going to discuss wins and losses. If nothing else, CU is not talented enough to beat the Pac-12 opponents on this schedule, with a team like California at home perhaps the Buffaloes' best chance at a victory. A rivalry game with Colorado State (even if the Rams are no juggernaut) is a toss-up, especially because it's the opener; even if the Bulldogs come to Boulder, and even if CU has a chip on its shoulder from last season, it's going to be tough to knock off Fresno State. Ugliness will ensue, but it'll be ugliness with a silver lining.

2013 RECAP:

In a nutshell: This program has never been so happy to win four games. That the Buffaloes found happiness in a four-win finish illustrates two facts: one, MacIntyre's predecessor might have been the worst hire in major-conference history, and two, CU is smart enough to understand that contention isn't developed overnight. Instead, the Buffaloes flashed signs of promise on the field and off last fall, beating a Pac-12 foe for the fourth time as a member of the conference, showing a degree of explosiveness on offense and trimming some of the fat on defense, even if that side of the ball remains behind the curve. In the bigger view, the program started the process of reversing a putrid mentality, a shocking lack of depth and obscenely ineffective player development – steps that will pay off in spades down the road.

High point: Topping Colorado State in the opener. Not a bad way for MacIntyre to kick off his tenure.

Low point: Another series of embarrassments in Pac-12 play. The top four league opponents on CU's schedule – Oregon, Arizona State, UCLA and USC – would outscore the Buffaloes by a combined 203-81.

Tidbit: It's all good in Boulder, but one area MacIntyre and this staff must address is CU's recruiting. The Buffaloes' three classes as a member of the Pac-12 – including the 2012 group signed before the program's debut – have ranked eighth, 12th and 10th, respectively, in the conference. Regardless of MacIntyre's steady touch with his inherited roster, CU clearly needs to replenish its ranks on the recruiting trail.

Tidbit (passing edition): Colorado was one of 22 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision to start a true freshman quarterback in at least one game – a group that includes three teams from the Southeastern Conference, notably Auburn – and one of 12 to start a true freshman in five or more games. Of the 12 teams in the latter group, only four reached postseason eligibility: Houston, Penn State, Texas Tech and Utah State.

Tidbit (father-son edition): One of Colorado's 22 signees in February was MacIntyre's son, Jay, a three-star athlete who could eventually contribute on either side of the ball. This is a family tradition: MacIntyre himself played for his father, George, at Vanderbilt.

Offense: This is Sefo Liufau's team. As such, Colorado needs to surround the sophomore – 1,779 yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie – with a solid cast at the skill positions and a stouter top seven or eight up front, giving Liufau the tools and support he needs to continue his growth as the Buffaloes' centerpiece. Make no mistake: CU views Liufau as the program's most promising quarterback in years, perhaps as much as a decade, and he flashed signs in 2013 of developing into the must-have presence this program demands in its quest to gain a foothold in an offense-driven Pac-12. Now, Liufau today is a work in progress; he's not strong enough, not careful enough in his decisions and not quick enough in his reads to be considered an all-conference contender this fall, for example. But to say the potential isn't there would be silly: Liufau is the concrete beam around which MacIntyre and coordinator Brian Lindgren plan to build an offense. I envision his development mirroring Colorado's growth as a whole – baby step by baby step, Liufau and CU are moving in the right direction. He's an intriguing piece of the puzzle.

One position of monumental concern is this offensive front, which is due for an overhaul when the Buffaloes retake the field in August. Over on the blind side, for one, look for sophomore Jeromy Irwin to return to full strength and push junior Marc Mustoe into a reserve role. Or CU could start senior Kaiwi Crabb, moving the returning starter out from left guard to tackle. Then CU would move senior Daniel Munyer to left guard and start JUCO transfer Sully Wiefels at right guard; better yet, CU could move Munyer to center, replacing sophomore Alex Kelly, and start Wiefels at right guard. Yeah, expect some changes. The constants will be Crabb and Munyer, who will occupy two spots, and junior right tackle Stephane Nembot – though Nembot must be replaced in the early going if he doesn't show drastic improvement on the strong side. There's work to be done up front.

Meanwhile, the backfield features CU's best depth in years. There's a top two: Christian Powell (562 yards) and Michael Adkins (535 yards) are going to split carries on the first-team offense, though I like the idea of pitting the two together in the same backfield, with Powell a bruiser and Adkins a burner. The depth extends beyond this pair to include Tony Jones (249 yards), Malcolm Creer, Donta Abron, Terrance Crowder and Phillip Lindsay, the latter a redshirt freshman coming off a strong spring. What this gives MacIntyre and Lindgren are options: CU could go big – Powell behind fullback George Frazier – or quick, putting Adkins into space, and should the line cooperate, this backfield has the talent to take enormous pressure off Liufau's shoulders.

As a whole, the offense has its bright spots and low notes – fitting, considering CU forward-moving process remains at least partially tied down by the mistakes and missteps of MacIntyre's predecessor. Depth is a concern across the board everywhere but running back: Colorado will fall to shreds if Liufau misses time, for example, and the receiver corps – more below – is heavily reliant on redshirt and true freshmen. The good news? Oh, that's clear. Colorado has found its quarterback, has added talent at the skill positions and has a younger core up front with the potential to develop nicely in the near future. More than anything, this offense has found an identity.

Defense: The defense, on the other hand, is playing catchup. Consider the fact that Colorado allowed nearly 100 fewer points last fall than in 2012 – and still allowed 38.3 points per game, including 43.4 points per game against FBS competition. So there's room for growth, cause for concern and reason for optimism, as is the case throughout the entire program. When it comes to positivity, no unit smells of sunniness more than the linebacker corps, a group headlined by sophomore Addison Gillam (119 tackles). After setting a new school record for tackles as a freshman, Gillam stands as Liufau's equivalent on the defensive side of the ball – a young, tone-setting piece for this entire defense. It's fitting that both were elected team captains despite their limited experience.

Colorado linebacker Addison Gillam (44) brings down Cal quarterback Zach Kline in a game last November. Gillam led the Buffs with 119 tackles in 2014.(Photo: Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)

Gillam will start in the middle, cleaning up mess after mess, while senior Woodson Greer (34 tackles) returns on the strong side. On the weak side, CU will replace Derrick Webb with sophomore Kenneth Olugbode, a change that will cost the Buffaloes experience while adding a needed dose of speed and athleticism on the second level. With this starting trio in place, Colorado can spend the fall adding depth. To survive a rash of injuries – though CU can't survive without Gillam for an extended time – MacIntyre and coordinator Kent Baer must get sophomores Ryan Severson and Deayshawn Rippy up to speed.

The effectiveness of this defensive front depends on the play of junior tackle Josh Tupou (38 tackles), who seems poised to translate his all-conference potential into all-conference production. His effectiveness in the middle will make things easier on fellow tackles Juda Parker and Justin Solis, who should face single blockers, as well as ends Samson Kafovalu, Derek McCartney, Tyler Hennington and Jimmie Gilbert. One position change that made total sense: Parker moved from end to tackle, where his speed could be an asset on passing downs. The lack of proven production is a worry, as is the health of CU's pass rush on the edges. Perhaps McCartney carries his terrific spring into the fall and gives the Buffaloes a burst of explosiveness off the corner.

After a sluggish start to 2013, CU's secondary played its best football down the stretch – not that there isn't room for continued improvement, but the subtle progression bodes well for this fall. With several starters and reserves back in the fold, the key for this defense will be the pass rush; with the pass rush comes stickier coverage in the secondary; from that coverage comes turnovers; from stickiness and turnovers comes a stouter run defense, and so on down the line. The best part of this group: CU can go four deep at cornerback with senior Greg Henderson, junior Kenneth Crawley and sophomores Chidobe Awuzie and Akhello Witherspoon, though Awuzie will spend much of his time as the Buffaloes' nickel back. The situation's a little weaker at safety, where Colorado returns Tedric Thompson and Jared Bell, but the overall depth in the secondary is solid – which is a good place for CU to start. Now, I don't think this group is going to turn elite overnight, but look for Pac-12 teams – say, those other than Oregon, Arizona State, USC and UCLA – to work a little harder to churn out yards through air. Again, that's a good next step for this defense.

Special teams: For my money, I'd call punter Darragh O'Neill, kicker Will Oliver and kickoff specialist Diego Gonzalez the best specialists crop in the Pac-12. By year's end, I'd be surprised if both O'Neill and Oliver don't earn some sort of all-conference honors. The return game is fine, nothing more, but Colorado has enough freshmen coming off redshirt seasons to add some speed, athleticism and pursuit to the coverage teams.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH:

Wide receiver: Colorado bids a bittersweet farewell to all-conference wide receiver Paul Richardson, who worked his way back from injury to land in the opening stages of this month's NFL draft but left Boulder a year ahead of schedule – taking with him the brunt of CU's pass-game production a season ago. If not starting from scratch out wide, CU is going to find Richardson's production, consistency, big-play ability and attention-grabbing effectiveness impossible to replace; this is a bad thing for Liufau's statistical growth, though it may end up forcing the sophomore to widen his gaze through his entire cast of potential targets – so not great in the short run but ultimately beneficial, in a way. The new leader at receiver is junior Nelson Spruce (55 receptions for 650 yards), who earns a promotion from understudy to new go-to target on passing downs.

It's a role Spruce needs to fill as CU looks to break in a largely unproven cast of holdovers and new additions. A few returnees of note: D.D. Goodson (22 for 306) and Tyler McCulloch (14 for 138) will assume starting roles, one would imagine, though McCulloch needs to bounce back from the injury that curtailed his spring. Outside of this threesome, however, the Buffaloes are leaning heavily on freshmen and sophomores. One is incoming freshman Shay Fields, the four-star gem of February's recruiting class. Others spent last season either on the scout team, taking a redshirt, or contributing little on the offensive side of the ball: Bryce Bobo, Elijah Dunston, Robert Orban and Devin Ross, for example. You'd call the receiver corps top-heavy, but that's not entirely true; CU's group is lagging behind from top to bottom, making this a position of concern heading into summer conditioning.

GAME(S) TO WATCH:

California: The Golden Bears remain Colorado's best shot at a Pac-12 win, though I imagine the Buffaloes will play more competitively during league play this fall – still lose, obviously, but make things a touch more interesting. The year again begins with Colorado State, which has sights on another bowl berth, and features five home games during Pac-12 action. Unfortunately, the Buffaloes draw UCLA and USC from the South Division.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION:

In a nutshell: The idea of what tomorrow could bring to this program should – or will, even – help Colorado smile despite another season spent on the outer edges of the Pac-12 race. Tomorrow will be better than today: CU was better in 2013 than in 2012, will be better in 2014 than in 2013 and will be better in 2015 than 2014, continuing the multiple-year rebuilding project placed on MacIntyre's plate upon his arrival 18 months ago. With a stronger identity in place, the priority this fall should be developing talent, finding another set of answers and locating the sort of depth this team needs to battle for six wins in the nation's deepest conference.

Now, eight – yes, eight – fairly obvious facts: Colorado's offense is improved, the defense is improved, the offense is deeper, the defense is deeper, the offense has potential, the defense has potential, the offense is ahead of the defense and both sides of the ball aren't quite up to the challenge. It's a step-by-step process both offensively and defensively, but the latter remains a step behind in the push for increased competitiveness. But you have to think about where things were, where things have gone and where things can be once MacIntyre's team fully grasps the system and the staff adds enough depth to run with the Pac-12. In total, the basic foundation has been set; next, Colorado needs to be finely tuned.

Certain players are part of a winning future. One is Liufau, who should be measured more by overall command of the offense rather than his statistical output – for one more year, at least. Another is the backfield pair, as well as the younger crop of receivers. Likewise with Tupou, Gillam, the underclassmen ends and the sophomore defensive backs. To be blunt, there are other areas where CU still seems to be trimming the excess weight left over from the previous regime; at some point, MacIntyre will recycle the roster with his players. I would fully expect Colorado to be ready for a realistic push at the postseason in 2015. This season, however, will be another spent outside the bowl picture, scratching and clawing for wins inside and out of the Pac-12.

Dream season: Colorado sneaks into bowl play with a 3-0 mark in non-conference play and league wins against California, Oregon State and Utah.

Nightmare season: The Buffaloes from 4-8 to 2-10. That'd be sour.

UP NEXT:

Who's No. 100? Ten individuals who either played or coached at this school are in the College Football Hall of Fame. Of these 10 inductees, seven played on the offensive side of the ball.

PHOTOS: RANKING EVERY FBS TEAM FOR 2014

No. 128 UMass: The Minutemen have a new coach, Mark Whipple, but the same outlook on what should be a dismal 2014 season. Even in a Mid-American Conference without viable contenders outside the top four, UMass is a long shot to win more than one game during the regular season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 127 Florida International: One season after playing the worst football of its Football Bowl Subdivision existence, FIU attempts to rebound under second-year coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers would need to take three significant steps forward to merely contend in Conference USA. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 126 Eastern Michigan: Chris Creighton steps into Ypsilanti and assumes one of the toughest coaching jobs in the country. The Eagles’ new coach will have a promising young quarterback to work with but not much else. It’s going to be another down season for EMU. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 125 Georgia State: Georgia State is no longer the worst program in the country, which is a good start. Next, GSU must embrace Trent Miles’ approach on both sides of the ball while the staff adds talent on the recruiting trail. The future might still hold promise, but this year’s team is only slightly improved compared to last year’s version. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 124 Georgia Southern: One of the nation’s newest Football Bowl Subdivision brings a history of success and last year’s win against Florida to the table. But Georgia Southern is still undergoing a coaching change while adapting to the heightened level of competition, two factors that set the bar low for 2014. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 123 Hawaii: The goodwill has run out on Norm Chow, who has coached Hawaii through its worst two-year stretch in decades. To improve, the Warriors need to locate a quarterback and find a pulse on defense to match with the rest of the Mountain West Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 122 Miami (Ohio): A program built on a history of successful coaching hires now hands the reins to former Notre Dame assistant Chuck Martin. While he’s an upgrade on the sidelines, Martin is going to need at least two years to rebuild the RedHawks from the bottom up. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 121 Idaho:
Paul Petrino’s fiery style and offensive mindset has fit well into the Vandals’ underdog mentality, but drive and hunger will only get you so far without the talent needed to win more than three games during the regular season. Idaho’s offense is better, but the team as a whole still lags. That talent took another hit on July 20 when Dezmon Epps (1) was kicked off the team in the wake of a DUI. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 120 UAB: This program is excited about its potential under Bill Clark, who replaces Garrick McGee, but Clark has his hands full with a roster and program beaten down by a miserable decade. If the Blazers do exceed expectations, Clark’s ability to maximize his roster will be the cause. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 119 Appalachian State: This program moves up a level after a surprisingly ineffective final year in the Football Championship Subdivision. To rebound, the Mountaineers need to rely on a pair of sophomores at quarterback and running back. While the promise is there, the first year could be ugly. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 118 Army: Go Army, beat Navy. But first, the Cadets must prove they can beat any team on the 2014 schedule. A coaching change helps, but Todd Monken needs to roll up his sleeves and bring back some toughness to a program too accustomed to season-ending losses to the rival Midshipmen. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 117 Western Michigan: P.J. Fleck and the Western Michigan staff can recruit, but can they coach? The jury’s still out after a 1-11 season, and even if talent is on the way it’s hard to imagine the new freshmen immediately reversing the Broncos’ slide to the bottom of the Mid-American Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 116 California: Cal’s shortage of talent, experience and depth makes the Golden Bears the weakest major-conference program in the country. Playing in the Pac-12 doesn’t help. In terms of a positive, Sonny Dykes has found his quarterback and has accumulated enough receivers to make this passing game work. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 115 New Mexico State: The schedule will paint a better picture, but New Mexico State remains one of the weaker programs in the country. Even if the Aggies squeeze out four wins, they are devoid of the sort of difference-making talent to contend for a top-five finish in the Sun Belt Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 114 UTEP: The Miners need to remain healthy after a season ravaged by injuries. Second-year coach Sean Kugler can’t control injuries, but he’s on the hook for one of the worst defenses in college football. Helping matters is an offense led by quarterback Jameill Showers, but it won’t be enough. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 113 Southern Mississippi: With a long losing streak over, the Golden Eagles can look forward to this fall on a high note. Optimism helps, but to regain a foothold in Conference USA the Eagles must do a better job protecting the football and limiting big plays on defense. The outlook is still pessimistic. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 112 Kansas: Charlie Weis enters his third year at Kansas with little hope of bringing the Jayhawks out of the Big 12 cellar. The offense lacks skill players, has no help up front and a rookie at quarterback. The defense could be a nice story, but only if the pass rush improves. As is, KU is the weakest team in the league. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 111 UNLV: The team must continue last year’s push without the opportunity to reach another bowl game, thanks to an NCAA postseason ban. While the talent is there, Bobby Hauck and the Rebels could struggle matching last season’s finish without any hopes of playing into December. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 110 New Mexico: Three years after his arrival, Bob Davie has successfully added the depth needed to reach the postseason. But New Mexico’s questionable defense, shortage of experience on both sides of the ball and lack of balance on defense should prevent the Lobos from breaking through to six wins. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 109 Tulane: The program's biggest issue will be the increased level of difficulty with the move from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference. Another concern is a roster that lacks the experience and proven production needed to run with teams like UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 108 Purdue: This team is at least another full season away from being considered more than an afterthought in the Big Ten. One issue is talent: Purdue has none. Another is the feeling that this program is headed on a downturn due to years of coaching missteps and mismanagement. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

107 Kent State: With big gaps in the backfield and defensive tackle, Kent State will need a team effort to move back into bowl play. That won’t happen unless the offense locates a receiver, the defense lands a pass rush and the team as a whole lucks into one or two upset wins. The Golden Flashes are headed for a four-win season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 106 Old Dominion: ODU is the best first-year Football Bowl Subdivision program in recent history, if that means anything. What the Monarchs do well is move the ball offensively; what they do poorly is play defense. While Old Dominion has the foundation to eventually succeed, the first season is always the hardest. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 105 Wake Forest: First-year coach Dave Clawson is familiar with rebuilding projects, which should come in handy as he takes over for Jim Grobe at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are too young to contend on either side of the ball against the best teams in the ACC, but things might need to get worse before they get better. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 104 Kentucky: The Wildcats’ recruiting efforts yielded one of the nation’s best classes in February, but those incoming freshmen will need at least a season or two to get a taste of the Southeastern Conference. While Kentucky’s future remains bright, Mark Stoops and his staff need at least one more mulligan before being viewed by wins and losses. Look for more of the latter in 2014. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 103 Wyoming: Landing one of the top Football Championship Subdivision coaches in history made this a successful offseason. Whether it’ll be a successful regular season depends on whether or not Craig Bohl can work miracles with this roster. Bohl’s a great hire, but no coach in the country could lead the Cowboys to the top of the Mountain West Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 102 Air Force: A down season led Air Force to recommit itself to competition. That should lead to the best 22 players starting on both sides of the ball, but it won’t be enough to totally overhaul a defense fresh off the worst season in program history. The Falcons should be happy with four or five wins. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 101 Colorado: Colorado’s a four-win team in the Pac-12, one of two in the conference without a realistic hope of reaching bowl eligibility. That’s a negative, but the program’s recent growth points to a bright future. That breakthrough is coming in 2015, however. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 100 SMU: The Mustangs need a jolt of energy after a sluggish 2013 season. Unfortunately, the offense lost its top receivers and the defense is dangerously young in the secondary. Combined, SMU looks like one of the bottom three teams in the American Athletic Conference. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 99 Iowa State: The Mark Mangino-led offense might be good enough to steal an upset during Big 12 play, but the defense ensures another season of nine or more losses for the Cyclones. In total, Iowa State has the league’s worst defense from top to bottom. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 98 Rutgers: This team is going to struggle at first in joining the Big Ten, if only due to a nasty schedule, but the real test will be whether or not the program can regain some footing and eventually challenge for footing in the East Division. When it comes to 2014, the Scarlet Knights are headed for eight losses. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 97 Florida Atlantic: South Florida-raised Charlie Partridge returns to his old stomping grounds with a reputation as a dogged and tireless recruiter of the region's fertile base. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 96 Memphis: The coaching is in place, the losing mentality has been reversed and the roster has been rebuilt, but Memphis remains a year away from ending its long and painful absence from the postseason. One reason is a brutal schedule. Another is the lack of depth nearly across the board, which could cause the Tigers to fall apart if injuries are an issue during the second half. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 95 Virginia: This program's defense might be good enough to lead the Cavaliers to four or five wins during the regular season, but a young offense and a general lack of confidence could doom 2014 before the start of ACC play. If UVa does again find itself at or near the bottom of the conference, the university might opt to make a coaching change. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 94 Akron: If no longer the doormat of the Mid-American Conference, Akron remains a season away from reaching bowl eligibility under Coach Terry Bowden. While the Zips have talent and confidence, the lack of experience and depth will be an issue against the better teams on the 2014 schedule. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 92 South Florida: Willie Taggart's blueprint for South Florida has been recruiting, as his latest class doubled as the best in the American Athletic Conference. But the team needs coaching; it needs leadership, conviction and a sense of identity, and it definitely needs a quarterback. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 91 Texas State: Unsatisfied with six wins, Texas State spent the offseason installing an up-tempo offense and a new aggressive style on defense. In the long run, these changes will help the Bobcats get over the hump and contend for the Sun Belt Conference championship. In 2014, however, the Bobcats should struggle in the transition to the new philosophies. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

No. 90 Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers and Jeff Brohm begin play in Conference USA with a questionable passing game and nine new full-time starters on defense. While the Hilltoppers should be competitive in Conference USA, it should take a year for the program to solve its issues on both sides of the ball. (Photo: Jim Brown, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 89 Arkansas: A dreadful passing game and holes on defense will doom
Arkansas to another losing season. Then there’s the schedule, which ranks among
the most difficult for any team in the country. The Razorbacks need at least
one more year before they make noise in the SEC West Division.
<o:p></o:p> (Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 88 North Carolina State: The Wolfpack is counting on a collection of campus newcomers and a former star recruit turned transfer - Jacoby Brissett - for a turnaround in 2014. (Photo: Rob Kinnan, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 85 Central Michigan:
Running back Saylor Lavallii (6) is one of the reasons the Chippewas are one of the most experienced teams in the MAC. But they also have questions at a number of positions, including quarterback. (Photo: James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 84 Illinois:
Running back Donovonn Young (5) and the Fighting Illini tend to be unpredictable in their performance, but they have high hopes that solid quarterbacking will provide a quick reversal of fortune in 2014. (Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 83 Tulsa:
End Brentom Todd and his teammates on the defensive side of the ball may have to carry a little extra load as the Golden Hurricane offense rights itself in 2014. (Photo: Beth Hall, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 82 Nevada:Defensive end Rykeem Yates (55) and the Wolf Pack are aiming for a drastic improvement in run defense in 2014. And a return to the Nevada running game production of the past would help, too. (Photo: Melina Vastola, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 81 Boston College:
Eagles defensive back Sean Sylvia (19) is part of a secondary that needs to click quickly in 2014. But fortunately for B.C. other aspects of its team don't have a lot of questions, just growing expectations. (Photo: Mark Konezny, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 78 West Virginia:
The Mountaineers had a severely disappointing season in 2013, but with players with the talent of cornerback Daryl Worley dotting the roster, a turnaround in 2014 would not be surprising. (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 76 San Jose State:
Thomas Tucker (3) and San Jose State have the talent to contend for the Mountain West title, but the Spartans will have to resolve a big question at quarterback get a performance out of its new 4-3 defense that is worthy of its talent. (Photo: Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 70: Middle Tennessee State
The Blue Raiders have perhaps Conference USA's best linebacker in T.T. Barber (38), but they will need to match their efficiency at stopping the run with their new commitment to an offensive run attack. (Photo: Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 69 Indiana:
The Hoosiers have an overhauled receiving corps, but its offensive line and backfield led by Tevin Coleman (6) gives Indiana one of the Big Ten's best attacks for 2014. (Photo: Mike Carter, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 67 Minnesota:
Though the Golden Gophers are strong on the run, quarterback Mitch Leidner (7) will need to get the passing game uncorked for the team to maximize its results this season. (Photo: Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 66 Utah:
The Utes are unsettled at many positions, adding value to the steady performance provided by players such as Dres Anderson (6), a 1,000-yard receiver in 2013. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 65 North Texas:
Antoinne Jimmerson (22) and teammates Reggie Pegram and Rex Rollins form a stout backfield for the Mean Green, which will rely on them heavily while sorting out its quarterback situation. (Photo: Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)